JORHAT, April 20 - The government�s decision to allow people involved in self-employed professions like plumbers, electricians, carpenters to offer their services by maintaining social distancing from April 21 has created confusion among people practising such professions. Several persons who are plumbers, electricians and a few carpenters told this newspaper that without shops dealing with water pipes and spare fittings, electrical items and timber and hardware shops, they will not be able to carry out their works properly.
The people of the exempted professions said that to fix any problem/repair related to water connections/supply in residences, electrical connections, repair work by carpenters, the professionals need spare fittings.
However, with electrical, hardware and timber shops remaining closed, the exemption granted to selected self-employed professionals will serve no purpose, they observed.
The people of the said professions, especially, carpenters and electricians, further said that they have been requested by many families whose houses were damaged in recent thunderstorms to do repair works, but this was not possible to attend due to the lockdown.
Moreover, with police beating people coming out of their houses black and blue and awarding punishments, people of the self-employed professions fear that they too may be physically assaulted as they do not posses identity cards. Will policemen on duty believe them by seeing the tools they carry � this is the question lurking in their minds.
